Loftus-Cheek during his Chelsea days. (REUTERS)
Newcastle United wanted to make a loan move for Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the January transfer window, according to journalist Dean Jones.
The Lowdown: Loftus-Cheeks stays put
The 27-year-old has found himself in and out of the Blues’ team this season, with Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter not always seeing him as a key man.
Loftus-Cheek has still made 12 starts in the Premier League in 2022/23 to date, but these have come in a variety of positions and a calf injury has prevented him from making more consistent appearances.
The Englishman ended up remaining at Chelsea last month, despite failing to lock down a regular role for himself at Stamford Bridge, but his long-term future arguably lies elsewhere after the Blues’ recent spending spree.
The Latest: Newcastle wanted temporary deal
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that the Magpies ‘hoped’ to sign Loftus-Cheek in January, but wouldn’t commit to a permanent move:
“I think Loftus-Cheek kind of came into the equation – Newcastle looked at it. They were hoping he might become available for loan and that just didn’t really happen.”
The Verdict: One that got away?
The Magpies were also linked with a late swoop for Conor Gallagher, so it is clear they are trying to buff up their midfield ranks, and Loftus-Cheek may actually have been the better option.
He is a talented player with ten caps to his name for England – one who has been hailed as ‘fantastic’ by Rio Ferdinand – and he is someone who could have given Newcastle more depth in multiple positions.
Powerful and versatile, the Chelsea man has enjoyed an 86.4% pass completion rate and averaged 1.1 tackles per game in the league this term, and he could have been a nice foil for the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, who arguably need a better deputy to rotate with after the departure of Jonjo Shelvey.
Whether or not Newcastle come back in for Loftus-Cheek this summer remains to seen – his current deal expires in 2024 – but it could be a shrewd piece of business and the Blues may be willing to sanction a cheaper exit as their window to receive a fee for the player ticks down.
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